Method for manufacturing a stent and stent manufactured thereby

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a stent includes forming a stent blank from a first material, the stent blank comprising a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns, each crown connecting at least two struts, and a plurality of slots in at least some of the plurality of struts and/or the plurality of crowns, depositing a second material over outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and in the slots to encase the stent blank in the second material, creating at least one opening through the second material, and removing the first material to form a stent comprising the second material, the stent having a continuous lumen from one end of the stent to the other end of the stent, the continuous lumen being partitioned in portions corresponding to the locations of the slots in the stent blank. The lumen may then be filled with a therapeutic substance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a stent, the method comprising:
 forming a stent blank from a first material, the stent blank comprising a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns, each crown connecting at least two struts; 
 forming a plurality of slots into at least some of the plurality of struts and/or the plurality of crowns, such that the plurality of slots extend through the first material to create openings through the at least some of the plurality of struts and/or the plurality of crowns; 
 depositing a second material over outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and through the slots to encase the stent blank in the second material; 
 creating an opening through the second material; and 
 removing the first material to form a stent comprising a plurality of struts and crowns defined by the second material, a continuous lumen is defined by the plurality of struts and crowns of the second material, the continuous lumen being partitioned in portions corresponding to the locations of the slots in the stent blank. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said forming the stent blank comprises laser cutting a cylindrical substrate comprising the first material to create a pattern comprising the struts and the crowns. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said forming further comprises laser cutting the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said forming further comprises etching the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said forming the stent blank comprises etching a cylindrical substrate comprising the first material to create a pattern comprising the struts and the crowns. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said forming further comprises etching the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said forming further comprises laser cutting the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising cleaning the stent blank prior to said depositing the second material. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said depositing comprises electron deposition of the second material onto the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and in the slots. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said depositing comprises electrochemical deposition of the second material onto the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and in the slots. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said depositing comprises sputter coating the second material onto the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and in the slots. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said depositing comprises depositing the second material over the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns and in the slots to create a coating having a thickness of 10-30 μm. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said deposition comprises depositing the second material over the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns to create a coating having a thickness of at least one-half the width of the slots. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises tantalum. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises iron. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising depositing a third material over at least the outer surfaces of the struts and the crowns before said depositing the second material, the third material being radiopaque. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the third material comprises platinum. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising filling the lumen with a therapeutic substance. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming
 the plurality of slots in a center portion of at least some of the plurality of struts, such that a longitudinal axis of a strut and a longitudinal axis of a slot are substantially aligned. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming
 the plurality of slots in at least some of the plurality of crowns, such that the shape of the slots and crowns have substantially the same curvature. 
 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming
 the plurality of slots in at least some of the plurality of struts and/or plurality of crowns, such that the plurality of slots extend from one side of the struts and crowns through to another side of the struts and crowns.